Calla

they were amazinggg.

i wasn't snacking (i wish i was!), but i definitely replayed those scenes a few times just so i could really take in those performances. it feels so good to have characters we can fall in love with and root for in this way again!

you know what's funny? the scheming, the drama, the betrayals... most of that took place at the fu mansion. so how was a complete outsider to the fu family like zhao ling supposed to magically appear in every single one of those scenes? he doesn't live there lol.

it's like you said, some people are so impatient. they just want certain characters to pop up in random situations even if it doesn't make any narrative sense. there is a time and place for everything. which is why when zhao ling's screentime increased in episode 4, the payoff was glorious. 🙏

i can't stop thinking about how wonderful ep4 is. specifically the rain scene (iykyk) and the showdown. ding yuxi and ancy deng really brought their a-game to this drama, and i'm so impressed with both of their performances already. i need to rewatch these four episodes again before the next two episodes are released!

frrr. she betrayed a friend that she grew up with for a man she doesn't even know. and her only interaction with him beforehand was about a flower pot! so embarrassing for her.

yes! exactly this! these first few episodes did a great job setting up the story.

it was so hard to watch everyone the fl loved and trusted betray her... i can't help but root for her twice as hard now. and like you said, it makes me want to know more about the ml (which i genuinely believe will happen soon enough.)

plus, i love how even though the main leads don't really know each other well yet, the ml already understands how the fl's mind works. like when she sent that indirect SOS to him using the salt bag he gave her, he instantly read between the lines and figured out something was wrong. it makes me anticipate the day when they become true partners in crime. the payoff is going to be so delicious!

then there shouldn't be any reason for ppl to complain about screentime. 👍

perhaps it's because you started off your original post with "I think the problem is that it wasn’t promoted as a female-centric drama. Not every female-centric novel gets adapted into a female-centric drama, you know" and ended it with "That’s just my opinion." and you have responded to every comment afterwards with excuses as to why the hate towards the fl or her screentime is justified.

you didn't mention anything about the fl's acting at first until you received pushback on your original argument. and for every response you get that didn't agree with you, you move the goalpost to find another reason as to why it is okay to be upset with the fl.

if this truly has nothing to do with women taking up space, then it shouldn't be a problem that the fl have a little more screentime in these first few episodes, as it is her arc that sets the stage for the main storyline. yet here we are, discussing this very issue.

i am not unnecessarily blaming you. i'm only responding to all the points you've made because i disagree with them lol.

first you said the issue was that this was a female centric drama and the fl have too much screentime. now you're saying that it's about whether viewers can connect with the fl or not. let's be honest, the issue isn't that some viewers can't connect with the fl. the issue is that you guys hate women who dare to take up space that should only be reserved for your male eye candy. because we all know if the roles were reversed, and the ml had more screentime, you guys wouldn't be complaining. every fl in every single drama has received this same level of hate. MDL moves this way too.

you said it depends on whether or not the viewers can accept or connect with the actress's performance, but how do you expect to connect to the fl if you don't know her backstory?

respectfully, maybe the director specifically dedicated these 4 episodes to her character first because he knows some people like you will have a hard time sympathizing with her. maybe it's so that you guys will have a little more time with her, and you guys will learn to love her too.

i mean, damn. after seeing everything the fl has gone through, and instead of pitying her and wanting to root for her, you feel annoyance that she is on your screen too much.

i love your entire comment, especially your emphasis on this: "Instead of criticizing actual issues like weak writing, poor pacing, or inconsistent characterization, people jump to conclusions over things that are completely expected from the genre and target audience."

for me, this is a beautifully shot drama. the production looks expensive. the cinematography is beautiful. the writing flows smoothly. i find the ml mysterious, and the fl resilient. the drama shouldn't have to spoon feed us everything we expect to see right away. it should make us curious, and it is delivering just that.

for only four episodes, the drama is off to a great start.

so you're saying that people hate women so much that they can't even bear to watch a few episodes where the fl have a little more screentime than the ml?

seeing the fl struggle, watching her lose everything she has ever known and everyone she has ever loved, and then having her meet the ml, having him understand her and protect her and fall in love with her (and having her do the same for him) will only make their romance more sweet. and that is only possible if we witness the events that lead up to their paths intertwining.

women are allowed to take up spaces too. the men will be okay.

i think some people are too used to shallow backstories that get crammed into the first 5 minutes of ep1 that they no longer know how to appreciate when a main character actually gets a fleshed out intro. but this is exactly how writers get us to invest in the characters. how else can we truly root for them if we don't even know the struggles they've had to endure? at the moment, the fl's arc is what's driving the story, so of course the drama will focus on her a little more.

also, this is the director of the prisoner of beauty, which was known for its slowburn and beautiful storytelling. so i trust that he knows what he's doing. it's not favoritism for one main character or neglect of another. it's just we need to see the fl fall from grace first before we can see the ml climb to power. i have no doubt that the director will do ding yuxi's character justice by providing us with an equally compelling backstory for him once it is his turn.

we still have 32 episodes more to go. we just need to have some patience.

damn, i have beef with everyone in this drama besides our leads (and the ml's cutiepie sidekick lol.) all these selfish characters are coming for our girl's throat, and her only crime is being born smart, beautiful, and rich.

i'm almost done with episode 3 and i find the story pretty interesting so far. hope the rest of the drama doesn't disappoint!

omg i just noticed this is the same director as the prisoner of beauty! love him!

well, i am enjoying blossoms of power a lot for what it is, but let's be honest... you are watching an idol drama, so of course, it's not going to be anything groundbreaking. it was made for fast consumption, and it prioritizes visuals first, entertainment second, and everything else after that.

china has many highly complex and well written dramas that are not idol dramas, and those get released yearly. unfortunately, they're just not as popular internationally (popular, but not as popular as idol dramas UNLESS you are a seasoned c-drama watcher and know what to look for.)

if you want some non-idol dramas, check out:
- nirvana in fire
- joy of life
- the story of minglan
- the longest day in chang'an
- strange tales of tang dynasty

ooohhh. you know what? the second explanation you gave made a lot of sense. if she knew that the crown prince was her only real descendant, she would want him to inherit the throne asap. killing the emperor with poison would be the most obvious move for her. she probably just couldn't imagine the emperor feeding the poisoned cherries to the crown prince.

oooh okay, i will add it to my list lol. thank you!

i didn't know this until recently. no wonder prince xin and xihe have so much chemistry.

i read some novel spoilers the other day, and you are correct about this prediction. however, it just leaves me more confused than before lol. from my understanding, the current emperor (the ML's adopted father) was a concubine's son. prince qian was the empress dowager's real son. so if the ML is actually prince qian's real son, that would make him the empress dowager's only real grandson. why would she poison her dead son's only heir, the last of his bloodline?

when destiny brings the demon is a drama and also novel. the ML is more ruthless towards his enemies, but he's just as shameless and sweet towards his FL.